


Of Golden Rings and Magic Spells

by pastelskrulls



Category: Marvel, Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion, Cinderella Billy, Cinderella Typical Abuse/Violence, M/M, More Like Ever After, Prince Teddy, teddy doesnt have powers but billy does
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-04-14 20:53:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14144352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastelskrulls/pseuds/pastelskrulls
Summary: Billy Kaplan had been content to live with the cards that fate had dealt him. That is, until he met a mysterious man in the woods one morning.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [faithzephyr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/faithzephyr/gifts).



Once upon a time, there lived a family of light and magic. A witch, a mage, and their twin sons. They lived in a small cottage, on the outskirts of Sokovia. Though ruled by a harsh king, the family was happy. One day, the boys vanished. Racked with grief, the mother lost control of her powers and killed her husband. She fled into the mountains, and was never seen again.

***

_14 Years Later ___

_Billy was surrounded by people. The warmth was stifling, he had to get out. He stumbled through the crowd, but couldn’t seem to find the way out. He looked around, searching for a familiar face. The heat increased until it was almost unbearable. Billy collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as the crowd closed in on him. A voice above him echoed in his ears as the world turned dark around the edges. ___

____

__“Child, what are you doing sleeping?” It said, “Why have you wandered off? Your parents will worry,” Billy blinked and tried to make out the man standing above him. “Ah well, wake up, boy.” Billy rolled over, closing his eyes again._ _

__“I said get up, boy!” Billy’s eyes snapped open. Joseph Kesler was glaring down at him. He was no longer lying on the cobblestone streets, instead he was next to a blazing fire. That explained the heat. He sat up, blinking the dream away, and quickly stood to face Kesler. The man stared at him with disdain and thrust a paper at him. “I need you to head to the market and fetch some items before the festival tomorrow.”_ _

__Billy nodded, not fully comprehending as he was handed the list. The haze of his memories still grasped at the edge of his mind. He shook his head, and searched the room for his tunic. It was baggy, a too big hand me down, and was covered in holes, the hem worn from worrying. He quickly tugged it on over his undershirt and slipped on his cracked leather belt. He dashed out of the cottage before either of the Keslers had a chance to give him more orders._ _

__The path was covered in low hanging fog, creeping out of the woods. A doe ran across the small dirt trail, and ducked into the underbrush behind Billy, quickly followed by a group of three men on horses crashing through where the doe had come. A large white mare stopped just in front of Billy, rearing up and knocking him over. His vision blacked out for a second as his head made contact with the ground. When he came to, a beautiful blonde man swam in his vision, eyebrows creased together with worry. Two men stood behind him, daggers held in hand._ _

__“Are you okay?” He asked. He had a deep baritone voice, smooth like honey. His calming tone was thrown off by the glinting weapon hanging on his hip. Billy nodded, trapped in the deep blue of his eyes. “Let me help you up,” he said. He grasped Billy’s hand and pulled him up. He was strong, Billy noticed, and he had thick, muscular forearms underneath his finely made shirt._ _

__“Thanks, Billy muttered. He looked away, feeling warmth cover his cheeks. The man let go, and Billy’s hand felt suddenly cold._ _

__“Of course, it was my fault after all. I’m very sorry for that,” he said._ _

__“It’s fine, I’m fine.”_ _

__“What’s your name?”_ _

__“I’m Billy,” he said. He looked at the man again. He looked kind, and Billy found a wave of confidence. “And what is yours?”_ _

__The man looked surprised, one of the orhers behind him, a boy with dark hair, stepped forward, holding up his dagger. Billy stumbled back, but the blonde man held up his hand and the other drew back._ _

__“I am Teddy, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he whispered._ _

__The other man behind Teddy cleared his throat. He had dark skin and short hair. “Sir, we should be going now. Your father will be needing us back soon.”_ _

__“Ah, yes, of course,” Teddy said. He turned to Billy once more and dropped a heavy, velvet bag into his hands before climbing onto his horse again and turning away._ _

__When the trio vanished into the woods, he opened the sack and peered in. He gasped at the sight of glimmering gold. He quickly tugged the drawstring closed again and tied it to his belt. He noticed the wetness on his back. Mud, staining his nicest tunic. He concentrated on making it go away, of cleaning his shirt until it was dry again and magic seeped through his skin. He continued his walk to the marketplace, forgotten list crumpling in his fist, and thoughts consumed by Teddy’s brilliant blue eyes._ _


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 of the festival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably not too good, but i was having a panic attack and needed to do something with my hands

Billy woke to a sharp pain in his stomach. Another, in his chest. He pried his eyes open. Above him, was John Kesler, already drawing his steel tipped boot back for a third kick. Billy rolled, back landing in the ash of the fireplace, but the boot missed it’s target. Kesler just laughed and swept the soot further into the air, so that it fell across Billy’s face.

“Father said you need to get up, snot-nosed cow,” he said. His voice was cold with hatred, and he looked down at Billy like something that had crawled out of the chamberpot. “We’ve got a lot to do to get ready for the festival tonight.”

“You mean I’ve got a lot to do,” Billy muttered as he sat up and reached for the velvet pouch Teddy had given him.

“You dare speak back to me?” Kesler stomped his foot down in front if Billy’s hand. He moved to the wall, pulling a whip down from the hook it hung on and wrapping it around his knuckles. Billy flinched back involuntarily and Kesler laughed. A sharp bark of a thing. “Are you afraid?”

Billy searched for a retort, but his mouth was dry and he could find nothing. 

Kesler laughed again. “Good,” he said. “Now, get out of the ashes and get to work.”

Billy nodded and stood, brushing the cinders from his clothes, though they still left dark streaks. He thought briefly of using a spell to clean himself again, but with the Keslers right there, it would be a miracle if they didn’t burn him at the stake. So he settled for black stains on his pants, pulled on his tunic, and again tied his new bag, still full of gold, to his belt. He walked up the stairs, out of the musty basement he slept in and into the dining room where the Keslers were waiting for their breakfast.

He ducked into the kitchen and began preparing eggs and bread. He grabbed the marmalade from the cupboard and poured milk into the silver goblets. He placed it all onto a tray and brought it back out.

“Took you long enough,” the older Kesler grumbled.

“I’m sorry, sir. May I be excused to wash up down at the river?” Billy asked.

“Fine, but hurry back. A lot has to be done before the festival.”

“Thank you, sir.”

He rushed out of the house, through the thin woods and down to where the river fed into the lake. He cast a quick spell, letting his magic remove the dark streaks. He pulled off his old, dust covered boots, and stepped into the shallow water. His feet sank into the mud, soft as silk beneath his toes. He waded out to the deeper water and lowered his back into the water. He floated, ears beneath the water, eyes closed. He saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing. He stayed there, letting himself be weightless.

And then a voice broke the silence.

“Looks like rain.”

Billy screamed, head going under as he scrambled to get away from whoever had spoken. Strong hands grabbed him, pulled him up and he coughed, water leaving his lungs.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Billy looked up, meeting the eyes of the man who bad spoken.

“Teddy?” The man blushed, a sheepish smile growing on his face. Billy shook his head, letting the water fly off of his face.

“Let me help you,” he said. He grabbed Billy’s hand and guided him out of the water to a makeshift camp with blankets and a horse. “Here,” Teddy said, handing Billy a deep scarlet cloak. “This should keep you warm.”

“Thank you,” Billy said. The cloak was warm, made of fine velvet, just like the pouch from yesterday. It fits loosely on Billy’s shoulders, clearly tailored for a larger man, like Teddy. Still, Billy pulls it close, casting a spell underneath, the water pulling away from his body and pooling at his feet. “I must go, my ma- father needs my help to prepare for the festival tonight.”

Teddy smiled, “Can I expect to see you at the festival?”

“Um, probably not, no.”

“Take care, Billy. I hope we meet again.”

“As do I,” Billy said, happier than he could remember being in a long time.

***

“The carriage is waiting, John,” Kesler shouted. Billy sat in the cold basement, velvet pouch and cloak tucked behind the spice cupboard. Footsteps above him brought dust sprinkling down from the ceiling, and somewhere in the house a door slammed. 

When he was sure the Keslers were gone, Billy stood and grabbed his cloak and boots. Teddy would be at the festival, had said he wanted to see Billy again. So Billy, too, would be at the festival. He ran upstairs, to John Kesler’s room, and grabbed a dress shirt. It was far too big on his small frame, but with a spell, it would fit. He cast a charm on his pants and boots to disguise the worn look. Then, he tightened the shirt a bit and fastened the cloak Teddy had given him around his shoulders. He looked in the mirror and saw a stranger.

The shirt’s sleeves were a deep purple, sparkling with small jewels that littered the fabric. The center was more blue, plain with a beautiful scarlet brooch in the center. His boots, though cracked and dirty, now looked new, with a shine about them. But, despite the elegance of the outfit, something was missing. Anyone who looked too closely at him would realize he had no noble blood. He grabbed a coin from the pouch on his belt and focused on forming a circle. The gold morphed, becoming a glimmering, perfectly fitted ring. He slipped it on and headed back downstairs.

Outside, was an old, broken down wagon. The wheels were fractured and disconnected. He placed his hands on it, letting his magic pulse through his fingertips and into the old wagon, until it became a beautiful, ebony carriage, drawn by two mice turned horses. He climbed in and the carriage began moving, through the gates and woods, and over the bridge. It stopped, and he looked out the small, curtained window.

The festival was taking place in the palace courtyard, which was decorated with warn lanterns and filled with people of all classes, men dressed in light yellows and women in dainty pinks. Standing at a table, conversing with a nobleman, were the Keslers. Billy’s breath hitched. He hadn’t thought of them.

“Don’t let anyone recognize me,” he whispered. A light shiver coursed through his body at the words and he stepped out of the carriage. Two men at the entrance stood with trumpets, which they raised and played when they saw Billy. Conversation stopped, and every head seemed to look at him. Billy blushed and ducked his head, too aware of the eyes following him as he moved through the party. Soon, people turned back to their friends, letting Billy slip to the side.

Billy scanned the crowd for any sign of Teddy, but could not find anyone. Except for the Keslers. He turned, intending to put as much distance between them as possible, when he ran into a solid wall of muscle. He stumbled back, hands in front of him to hold his balance. When he looked up, he saw the beautiful blue eyes of Teddy for the second time that day.

“Billy! You made it!”

“Hi, Teddy!” Billy grabbed his hands, pulling them into position. “Would- would you like to dance?” He was all too aware of the Kesler’s eyes on his neck. He had to get away.

“Of course, I’d be honored!”

Billy breathed a sigh of relief and they started spinning through the court, away from the Keslers. Teddy’s hands rested on Billy’s waist and he leaned in, whispering into Billy’s ear.

“I’m so glad you could come,” he said. His breath was warm on Billy’s neck, 

“I wanted to see you,” Billy replied. He could see a surprised flush cover Teddy’s cheeks. It was cute.

They kept dancing. Time had lost meaning, and all of Billy’s worries had been abandoned with the Keslers on the other side of the court. Billy’s feet ached, sore from what had to be hours of dancing, locked in Teddy’s eyes.

The clocktower chimed twelve, ringing through the festival, and across the courtyard, Billy could see the Keslers climbing into their carriage. He shoved away from Teddy, tripping over his own feet.

“I have to go,” he said.

Teddy grabbed his hand loosely, just enough to pull him back, but not to actually keep him in place. “Why?”

Billy pulled away and started running. “I’m sorry,”” he called over his shoulder. His feet pounded against the cobblestone as he dashed past the people still dancing. He could hear Teddy saying something, but all his thoughts were of making it back to the house before the Keslers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for the comments and kudos, they mean a lot!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second day of the festival and a visit to the marketplace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is so bad but im too proud of myself for getting past my writers block to even care

“I hear the prince is going to be at the festival tomorrow,” Kesler said from the dining room. Billy perked up, leaning closer to the door. “One of the ladies in court told me last night,” he boasted, as though he knew Billy was listening.

The prince. Prince Dorrek had long been admired, though Billy had never seen a portrait of the man, much less met him in person. He tried to wonder what he looked like, but couldn’t bring himself to think of anything other than Teddy’s face from the night before. The way he lit up when he saw Billy at the festival. He couldn’t wait to see him again. Hopefully tonight. The thought made his heart constrict with excitement.

He found himself rushing through his chores that morning, his attention lost to the realm of dreams. He imagined dancing with Teddy again, of drawing closer until he was just a breath away, of closing the distance between them and tasting his soft lips. Billy felt a flush spread over his cheeks and he quickly went back to work, chastising himself. He had only met Teddy two days ago, he shouldn’t think such things. But the thought still lingered, chasing the edge of his thoughts.

Hours passed like that, and soon the Keslers were rushing out the door and into their waiting carriage. Billy quickly dropped the rag he had been using to scrub the dusty floors of the kitchen and grabbed his cloak and boots, again enchanting them. He continued on, preparing all the same spells from the night before, and made his way to the festival. Standing just inside the courtyard gates, he saw Teddy, dressed in rich green robes, and seemingly waiting for someone. For Billy.

Billy hopped out of his carriage and approached Teddy. “Teddy!” He yelled. A few people looked at him strangely, but he got Teddy’s attention, and was soon swept into his arms to begin the dance. Though the strange looks continued, no one said anything. It was well known that many lords and even kings had taken male consorts, so no one was going to comment on it this time.

Dancing with Teddy was magical. Even more so than the rest of Billy’s life. Teddy made him feel important, made him feel like a lord of the court. When he was with Teddy, it was like flying. Like the Keslers couldn’t touch him. Like he was invincible.

“Do you want to go somewhere private?” Teddy whispered. Billy nodded, grin growing.

Teddy led him through the crowd, keeping his head down, and off onto a small cobblestone path. They followed it until they reached a wall covered in vines and ivy. Teddy ran his hand over the worn bricks, until he found a small crevice. He pulled it, opening into a small garden. It was simple, a large tree, a few stone benches, and some flowers, but it was beautiful. Billy stepped in, quickly followed by Teddy, who shut the door, closing off their garden from the world.

Billy could still hear murmurs of the party, music drifting through, but his attention was so pointedly focused on Teddy, he hardly noticed.

“Are we allowed to be in here?” he asked. He was acutely aware of the fact that they were inside a private garden, almost definitely belonging to the king or prince.

“If we weren’t, would I know about it?” Teddy smirked, glee obvious in his eyes, but below that was something else, something deeper.

Billy decided to laugh, and accept it without worrying what would happen if they were caught. “Fair enough,” he chuckled. “What would you like to do?”

“Well, I’ve had enough of dancing for the night.” He said. He sat on one of the marble benches, gesturing for Billy to follow. “How about we just talk, if you’d like that I mean.”

Billy hastened to sit, nodding his head. “I would,” he said, flashing a sultry smile. “I’d really like that.”

A blush crawled it’s way up Teddy’s cheeks, slowly covering his whole face. Billy felt a warm, satisfying feeling blossom in his stomach at the thought that he could provoke such a reaction from Teddy. The idea spurred him on. Maybe. Maybe Teddy felt the same way for him. Maybe he had stayed up last night, unable to fall asleep, thinking about his smile. He reached out his hand, resting it on the cold space between them. A moment passed as cool air blew through the garden, and Teddy clasped the hand in his own.

The feeling was strange. An electricity pumping through him, starting in his fingertips and spreading out through his veins. It felt better than magic.

It felt like love.

He shivered at the thought, and Teddy draped his arm over his shoulder, pulling him into his side and holding him there.

“Where would you like to start?” Teddy asked.

“Here is good, for me.”

***

“Witch burning tonight!” The cry rang through the market, making Billy wince. “Three girls, found guilty of practicing spells! They shall be punished for their crimes!” The harker continued. A cheer resonated through the square and Billy hunched in on himself further.

The market was crowded, full of con-artists and performers, looking to make a quick deal among the peasantry. Many new shops had set up temporary tents, in honor of the festival. A masque tent, with a jester outside, a wine salesman, squeezed between two buildings. The expensive dress shoppe was overstuffed with people trying to find last minute gowns and robes. The whole scene made Billy groan, as he shoved his way through, away from the harker announcing the names of the poor girls. No one he knew, which was unsurprising, as his social circle was almost completely limited to the Keslers. Even without meeting them, Billy knew the girls were innocent. The trials made him curse his powers, curse his being.

He hated going to the heart of town, especially when there were so many people. But, Joseph had demanded it, ordering him to go find a new clasp for him by the time of the festival. He scanned through the sea of people, searching for the jewelry vendor he usually bought from. The man was kind, sympathetic. He gave Billy deals, always leaving him with some coins to save for later.

He spotted the man, hunched over his table, across the square. He began shoving his way through, shooting apologies over his shoulder. As he approached, the man smiled and straightened. He was handsome, with dark, peppered hair. He wore a long cape, with an ornate collar, threaded with gold.

“Good morning, William.” He said, as Billy approached. Billy smiled.

“Good morning, Stephen,” he said. Stephen was the only Vishanti priest in the kingdom, earning him no few cruel words. The Keslers despised him, and would have Billy’s hide if they knew where he bought their jewelry.

There were also rumors, whispers in the crowds, that Stephen practiced witchcraft, dark magic. Of course, most magic was considered dark to these people, and almost everyone wrote the idea off as a vilification of the Vishanti practice. Billy didn’t know what to believe, but the man had a strange glint in his eye, one that gave off a powerful aura.

“What do you need today?” he asked.

“Joseph sent me to get a clasp for the festival,” he said, flitting his gaze between the shining brooches and rings.

“Hmm,” Stephen ducked down, disappearing beneath his table. “I think this should suffice,” he said. He was holding a gaudy brooch, sparkling in the morning sun.

“That’s hideous,” Billy said. “How much?”

Stephen chuckled, pressing the brooch into Billy’s hand. “That’s not all,” he said. “I have something else for you.”

“What?” Billy asked, furrowing his brows.

Stephen held up a small bracelet, threaded with bronze beads, engraved with small eyes. “For protection,” he said.

“Thank you,” Billy said. He gingerly took the gift, sliding it onto his wrist.

“Of course,” Stephen replied, a small smile, fatherly and kind, etched onto his face.

Billy handed him the coins, leaving with a few left over and a light feeling in his heart, like everything would be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> find me on tumblr at scarrletwiccan


End file.
